Florist prepared for Valentine’s Day rush

February 14, 2018

The last-minute rush, literally, to get your loved one's Valentine's Day gift is here, and many florists are working long hours to fulfill the countless orders of roses and bouquets.

For many, chocolates won't do, so that's why florists such as the Blossom Shoppe Florist & Gifts, at 13971 N. Cleveland Ave. have worked hard the past several weeks to fill all the orders they have received.

Blossom Shoppe, owned by Robin Waltan since 2003, has been through this before, having been open since 1986.

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Rosanna Thullen, who works at the Blossom Shoppe Florist & Gifts, at 13971 N. Cleveland Ave., holds a bouquet last week.

CHUCK BALLARO

Designers Rosanna Thullen, Theresa Guiliano, who have worked at Blossom Shoppe for a decade, said Valentine's Day is the toughest holiday, as it comes and goes in a day and is the most concentrated holiday. For example, orders for Mother's Day - it's busiest time - can come in through the whole month of May.

"Everybody has a mother. Not everyone has a sweetheart," Thullen said. "It's been steady. You have your off days like any other business. It's slow in the summer. That's when you do your weddings."

And, like Mother's Day, flowers on Valentine's Day can get very pricey. First-rate roses that cost $50 off-peak can jump anywhere from $70 to $90 during those peak times, Thullen said.

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The reason being is that the growers have to massively produce for Valentine's Day, so they are forced to raise prices.

"They are massively producing flowers" and so they bump up the prices, said Thullen.

"It's not the florist trying to make an extra buck, They are charging what the growers are pricing them at," she said.

Blossom Shoppe Florist also offers dish gardens and orchid gardens, which is not something you see at a supermarket, or if you do, they are not fresh.

They offer greetings cards, some chocolates, teddy bear bouquets, decorations, and you can even take your loved one to Jersey's Sports Bar and have the flowers delivered there while you have dinner and watch the hockey game.

Linda Jones, another longtime employee, former florist owner and friend, said the florist offers FTD and other third-party florists. However, you're usually better off just working with the florist directly.

"The more years you're in business and the better the reputation, the more orders they'll put in for you," Jones said. "By calling your local florist, you cut out the fee they charge you. You get more for your money. They have fees the average person doesn't realize"

Another busy time is Thanksgiving, when people have a hankering for cornucopias and centerpieces on the dinner table, and Christmas. But they will also do special occasions such as proms, birthdays and get well wishes, among countless other things.

For last-minute shoppers, The Blossom Shoppe will be open until 7 p.m. on Valentine's Day. Usually, they are open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday.